Dispenser for treatment of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines



AugRZZ, 1961 F. c. BINTER ET AL 2,997,282

DISPENSER FOR TREATMENT OF EXHAUST GASES FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov 8. 1957 A TTORNEYS.

United States Pater DISPENSER FOR TREATMENT OF EXHAUST gigllslg FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION EN Frederick C. Binter, 321 E. Oak Ave., Moorestown, N.J.,

and Edward W. Bridge, Jr., Moorestown, NJ; said Edward W. Bridge, Jr., assignor to said Binter Filed Nov. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 695,310 3 Claims. (Cl. 261-99) This invention relates to a dispenser, and more particularly concernsa dispenser for storing and dispensing material for treating the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. Reference is hereby made to copending application Serial No. 678,420 filed August 15, 1957, now Patent No. 2,932,364 of Apr. 12, 1960, which discloses apparatus suitable for use with this dispenser. The dispenser has been used most advantageously with buses on which it has been mounted by suitable bracket means.

Although adequate for their intended purpose, previous dispensers for storing and dispensing denaturing material have had a number of disadvantages. For example, in one such dispenser when the denaturing material was exhausted, it had to be replaced by refilling a tank which was mounted on the bus from a supply drum located in the bus garage. This was a time consuming and smelly operation. Moreover, this operation was wasteful since quantities of the denaturing material were lost through spillage and evaporation.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages. Another object is to provide a dispenser which handles a pre-packaged item quickly and easily so that the only thing a mechanic need do to refill the dispenser is remove the exhausted container element of the dispenser and ram in the new, a clean and swift operation. Another object is to-provide a dispenser which avoids waste and loss-of the denaturing material through spillage or evaporation. Another object is to provide for automatically inserting the wick element-of the dispenser in the denaturing solution and saturating the wick. Another object is to provide a dispenser which does not rattle and which efiectively seals the denaturing solution and the mixture of gas and denaturing material against leakage.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, including the simplicity and economy of the same, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a dispenser constructed in accordance with this invention, with parts broken away in order to illustrate important details;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the dispenser shown in FIG. 1 and the dot-dash lines illustrate the position of the dispenser lid as the dispenser is being opened; and

FIG. 4 represents an enlarged view in perspective of the perforated cutting tube which is one element of the invention.

Although specific terms are used for clarity in the following description, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shown in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, the number 11 designated a dispenser including a housing 12, a perforated cutting tube 13 positioned Within the housing, and a wick 14 positioned within the cutting tube. As shown in FIG. 1, tube 13 has been punched into the top of a can 15 containing a denaturing material 16 such as is disclosed in co-pending application No. 678,420.

Housing 12 is provided with an inlet conduit 17 which passes a pressurized gaseous stream into housing 12 to contact wick 14 and mix with denaturing material 16. This pressurizedgaseous stream is preferably compressed air. The resulting mixture of gas and denaturing material is passed out of housing l2'through an outlet conduit 18 to an exhaust conductor (not shown) which contains exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. This mixture treats the exhaust gases to purify them, thereby eliminating or drastically'reducing objectionable odors and irritating substances, as described in co-pending application No. 678,420.

Perforated cutting tube .13 is provided with a pointed cutting edge 21, openings 22, and flange 23. Flange 23 has welded thereto a number of bosses 24 which are provided with threaded openings 25. Machine screws 26 are threaded through openings in housing 1 2 into the openings 25 of bosses 24 to hold tube 13 in place, and also to make easy the removal of tube 13 from housing 12 for cleaning or maintenance.

Housing 12 is provided with a closure mechanism which includes a lid 27 having an overhanging lip 28, and a lid retaining arm 31 which is welded to lid 27. Lid retaining bolts 32 connect arm 31 to a pair of external bosses 33 which are welded to the outside of "housing 12. Bosses 33 have threaded passages 34, and'bolts 32 are provided with wing heads for easy turning of bolts 32 into passages 34. 3 illustrates "the method of removing the lid by unscrewing the bolts until lip 28 clears the open end of the enclosure 12, after which the arm 31 is rotated about one of the 'bolts 32. A slot 30 is provided in arm 31 so that the arm 31 maybe so rotated.

When tube 13 is inserted into position as shown in FIG. 1, a mixing chamber 35 is formed between the top'of flange 23 and the top portion of housing '12. The mixture of gas and denaturing material formed in mixing chamber 35 is prevented from leaking out of the chamher into the space between can 15 and the interiorof housing 12 by upper sealing gasket 36 which is positioned between the bottom of flange '23 and the top of can 15. Further protection is provided by lower sealing gasket 37 which is positioned between the open-end of housing 12 and the lid 27.

To prevent rattling of the can within the-enclosure, enclosure 12 and can 15 are of such a size that there is not much clearance between them. In order to further insure that there is no rattling, lid 27 is provided with a resilient gasket 38 which urges can 15 towards flange 2 3.-

The operation of refilling the dispenser is a simple one. To remove an exhausted can 15, bolts 32 are loosened and lid '27 is rotated to open dispenser 1 1 and permit easy removal of the exhausted can. Then a new can 15 is quickly and easily inserted into dispenser 11 so that cutting tube 13 punches an opening in the top of the can. This operation automatically inserts wick 14 into the solution of denaturing material and saturates it. After this, arm 31 is rotated back to its closed position and the bolts 32 are tightened to hold new can '15 securely in place. This causes gasket 36 to seal off mixing chamber 35 against escape of the mixture of gas and denaturing material. Gasket 36 also seals can 15 against the escape of fluid or solution 16.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present inven tion provides for handling a pre-packaged can of denaturing material cleanly and swiftly. The only thing an omnibus mechanic need do to refill the dispensere is to open the dispenser, remove the exhausted can, and ram in the new one. This eliminates the unpleasant odor which previously accompanied the refilling job, avoids the waste occasioned by refilling a dispenser from a drum, and cuts down on loss due to evaporation of the denaturing material.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illusated and described herein, parts may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A dispenser for use in apparatus for denaturing the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust conductor provided with an opening for exhausting said gases, comprising a protective housing, a removable can positioned within said housing, said can being adapted to contain material for said denaturing of said gases, a perforated cutting tube positioned within the housing and constructed and arranged to pierce said can through an end thereof, said tube being provided with a flange which together with the housing forms a mixing chamber within said housing above said can, said flange being detachably secured to the walls of said housing, seal-ing means positioned adjacent said flange and said can and arranged to prevent leakage from said mixing chamber, a wick located in the tube and arranged to extend from within said can to within said mixing chamber, a conductor connected to said chamber and containing a pressurized gaseous stream for contacting said wick and mixing with said denaturing material, connector means extending from said chamber to said exhaust conductor for passing the mixture of gas and denaturing material to the exhaust gases, and means including a housing lid for holding the can within the housing, said housing being leak-proof to prevent spillage of the denaturing material, and said housing completely enclosing said tube, can, and wick to protect them from damage.

2. The dispenser defined in claim 1, wherein said means for holding the can with the housing includes resilient means positioned between said lid and the bottom of the can for preventing rattling by urging the can toward the flange.

3. A dispenser for denaturing the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust conductor provided with an opening for exhausting gases comprising a protective housing, a removable can positioned within said housing, said can being adapted to contain material for said denaturing of said gases, a perforated cutting tube positioned within said housing and constructed and arranged to pierce said can through an end thereof, said tube being provided with a flange which together with said housing forms a mixing chamber within, said housing above said can, said flange being detachably secured to the walls of said housing, sealing means positioned adjacent to said chamber and said can and arranged to prevent leakage from said mixing chamber, a wick located in said tube and arranged to extend from within said can to within said mixing chamber, a conductor connected to said chamber and containing a pressurized gaseous stream for contacting said wick and mixing with said denaturing material, connector means extending from said chamber to said exhaust conductor for passing the mixture of gas and denaturing material to the ex-haust gases, flurther sealing means positioned adjacent the walls of said housing and the bottom of said can and arranged to prevent leakage from said housing, a housing lid for holding said can within said housing, said lid having resilient pressure means aflixed to the intereior thereof, said resilient pressure means being arranged to restrain said can from longtitudinal movement within said housing by urging said can toward said flange, said lid having a retaining arm affixed to the exterior thereof, said retaining arm having latch means at one end thereof and pivot means at the opposite end thereof, whereby said lid may be rotated from its position beneath said housing when unlatched, and bolt means affixed to said housing and arranged for the retainment of said lid in position beneath said housing when said lid is latched.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,421,432 Embanks July 4, 1922 1,558,349 Graafi Oct. 20, 1925 1,917,605 Shaw July 11, 1933 2,483,256 Berg Sept. 27, 1949 2,491,124 Martin Dec. 13, 1949 2,603,076 Fukal July 15, 1952 2,767,807 Booth Oct. 23, 1956 2,879,562 Olson Mar. 31, 1959 2,932,364 Binter Apr. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 243,525 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1925 

